Lettering guide device



350-174 gaxacmuu Dec. 13, 1966 D. H. HOGGAN 3,291,552

LETTERING GUIDE DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 9.

:H 38 36 34 320g 5 r INVENTOR Do niel H. Hoggan ATTORINEYS Dec. 13, 1966 D. H. HOGGAN 3,291,552

LETTERING GUIDE DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

FIG. H.

'lllllllllllllll! INVENTOR. Daniel H. Hogqan United States Patent 3,291,552 LETTERING GUIDE DEVICE Daniel H. Hoggan, 612 E. North Ave., Lompoc, Calif. Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 260,606 1 Claim. (Cl. 350-174) This invention relates to a lettering guide device and relates more particularly to a device for reflecting lettering guide lines from a surface on which such lines are depicted onto a drawing surface to thereby avoid the necessity of pencilling and later erasing actual guide lines.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved lettering guide device of the type described which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, utilize, and maintain.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a lettering guide device which may be used in cooperation with a conventional drafting machine and which has great mobility and flexibility.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be taken apart and will be relatively compact for handling and storage.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of one embodiment of a lettering guide device which is foldable between a collapsed position wherein it is relatively compact and an assembled position wherein it may be utilized.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a lettering guide device having a tinted window member arranged to reflect an image from an image depicting surface having lettering guide lines thereon.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the tinted window member is angularly adjustable with respect to a longitudinal plane through the device to facilitate use of the same.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide one embodiment of a lettering guide device of the type described including an image depicting surface comprising a plurality of cards each having differentsized lettering guide lines depicted or defined on their surfaces wherein said cards are loosely bound together and may be flipped with respect to each other to dispose a predetermined set of lettering guide lines in operative relationship to be reflected on the drawing surface.

Another object of this invention is the provision of another embodiment of a device of the character described having an image depicting surface comprising a pair of spaced apart, rotatably mounted, roller members supporting in winding relationship a strip of web material having different-sized lettering guides lines on its surface and being adjustable to dispose a predetermined portion of the strip in operative relationship to said tinted window member for reflection onto the working surface.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the device of the instant invention as it would be associated with a conventional drawing machine, with parts broken away for illustrative clarity and convenience.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 showing schematically the manner in which a draftsman or the like would utilize the device'of the instant invention, with parts broken away for illustrative convenience;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the manner of adjusting the tinted window member to facilitate use regardless of the position of the draftsman;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the base member according to the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the base member of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse cross sectional view taken n line 66 of FIGURE 4 looking in the direction of of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the tinted window member of the device of the instant invention;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the tinted window member of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of one embodiment of an image depicting surface use with the device of the instant invention, with parts broken away for illustrative clarity and convenience;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the image depicting surface of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a side elevational view of a folding embodiment of the lettering guide device of the instant invention in assembled position, with parts in section and with parts broken away for illustrative convenience;

FIGURE 12 is aside elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURE 11 in collapsed position, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 13 is an exploded view of the individual elements of the embodiment of FIGURE 11, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 14-14 of FIGURE 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1515 of FIGURE 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 16 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the lettering guide device of the instant invention having a strip of web material rollably supported as an image depicting surface with parts broken away for illustrative convenience;

FIGURE 17 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIGURE 16, with parts broken away; and

FIGURE 18 is a front elevational view of the image depicting surface of the embodiment of FIGURE 16, with parts broken away.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in general and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, one embodiment of the lettering guide device of the instant invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and is shown as associated with a drafting machine indicated generally by the reference numeral 12. The drafting machine 12 is conventional in construction and does not form a part of the instant invention except insofar as it cooperates with the lettering guide device 10. A knob 14 is provided on the drafting machine 12 and is used by the draftsman to move the machine in any direction as indicated by the arcuate arrows while maintaining a chuck means 16 in a constant position with relation to the drafting table 18 and drawing paper 20. Normally, the chuck means 16 is maintained square with relationship to the edges (not shown) of the drawing paper 20 in order that a horizontally extending arm (not shown) secured to the chuck means 16 may be used for drawing horizontal lines while the vertically extending arm 22 is used for vertical lines.

A conventional locking means 24 is secured to the device of the instant invention to cooperate with the chuck means 16 in order to removably lock the lettering guide device to the drafting machine 12 for operation in association therewith.

The preferred embodiment of the lettering guide device 10 as shown in FIGURES 1-10 comprises essentially a base member 26, a tinted window member 28 and an image depicting surface 30.

The base member 26, shown in detail in FIGURES 4-6, includes a substantially fiat bottom member 32 which n'des over the drawing paper and which has attached to its upper surface the locking means 24 for association with the drafting machine 12. A pair of vertically disposed, laterally spaced apart, ear members 34 are also secured to the upper surface of the bottom member 32 and have a first pair of laterally aligned slots 36 for supporting the tinted window member 28 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter and a second pair of laterally aligned slots 38 for supporting the image depicting surface 30 in a manner also to be described more fully hereinafter.

The tinted window member 28 is shown in detail in FIGURES 7 and 8 and comprises a substantially elongated, relatively rectangular portion 40 having, according to a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, an arcuate bottom portion 42 connected integrally by a reduced neck portion 44. The tinted window member 28 may be of any desired semi-transparent material which functions as a semi-transparent mirror, directing light rays from the image depicting surface 30 to the eyes of the observer. Since the optical path lengths from a point on the image and a corresponding point on the drawing paper are equal, in the apparatus herein shown and described, the observer sees a virtual image of the image depicted on the surface 30, that appears to be in the plane of the drawing board. A green tinted, otherwise transparent, plastic material such as methyl methacralate or the like has been found useful. The arcuate bottom portion 42 is slidably receivable within the slots 36 defined in the ear members 34 of the base member 26 and is supported thereby in an upwardly extending direction at an obtuse angle with respect to the bottom member 32. See for example, FIGURE 2. The arcuate design of the bottom portion 42 of the tinted window member 28 allows the same to be angularly adjusted with respect to a longitudinal plane through the base member 26 between the ear members 34 in the manner shown by the arcuate arrow in FIGURE 3 to allow the draftsman to position the same in a manner which would be most comfortable and convenient to him. Even though the tinted window member 28 is angularly adjusted as shown in FIGURE 3, the lettering guide lines 46 (see FIGURE 1) reflected thereby will be positioned on the drafting paper 20 in the same manner as if the tinted window member 28 extended along the longitudinal axis of the base member 26. The reduced neck portion 44 is received in cut out portions 45, aligned with slots 36 in the ear members 34 to limit angular adjustment.

The image depicting surface 30, according to the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, comprises a plurality of cards 48, formed of plastic or the like, each having bottom portions 50 slidably receivable in the laterally aligned slots 38 defined in the ear members 34 of the base member 26. The image depicting surface 30, so supported, extends in an upward direction at an acute angle with respect to the base member 26. Each card 48 has a plurality of guide lines 52 on different cards 48 being of difierent sizes. The top portion of the cards 48 are loosely bound together as by means of a pair of spaced rings 54 or a spiral binder (not shown) or the like in order that they may be flipped with respect to each other to dispose a predetermined surface of one of the cards 48 in facing relationship to the tinted window member 28 so that the specific guide lines 52 defined thereon will be reflected onto the. d afting paper 20.

It will be noted that the angular relationship between the tinted window member 28 and the drawing surface 20 will always be substantially equal to the angular relationship between the tinted window member 28 and the image depicting surface 30. The angle between these elements may range from slighty over 45 to slightly under 90 but is preferably approximately 60.

It is now believed that the use and operation of the lettering guide device 10 of the instant invention will be apparent. The draftsman merely places the arcuate bottom portion 42 of the tinted window member 28 and the bottom portions 50 of the image depicting surface 30 in their respective slots 36 and 38 in the ear members 34 of the base member 26 and secures the base member 26 to the chuck means 16 of the drafting machine 12 by inserting the locking means 24 therein in the conventional manner. The tinted window member 28 may be angularly adjusted as shown in FIGURE 3 and as described hereinbefore and the draftsman, indicated schematically by the eye shown at 54 in FIGURE 2, may proceed to print whatever letters are desired, such as the John Doe & Company shown at 56 in FIGURE 1 by means of the pencil 58 shown in FIGURE 2. The guide lines 46 are reflected through the tinted window member 28 from the image depicting surface 30.

The embodiment of FIGURES 11-15 is substantially the same so far as its utility is concerned, except that it is foldable between an assembled position shown in FIG- URE 11 and a collapsed position shown in FIGURE 12. As will more clearly be seen from the exploded view in FIGURE 13, this embodiment includes a base member 60, means 62 for supporting the tinted window member 28 and means 64 for supporting the image depicting surface 30. A pair of first upwardly extending, laterally spaced ear member 66 are secured to the upper surface of the base member 60 and the means 62 includes a pair of second vertically extending laterally spaced, ear members 68 while the means 64 includes a third pair of vertically extending, laterally spaced, pair of ear members 70. Each of the first, second and third pairs of ear members 66, 68 and 70, respectively, are pivotally secured to each other as by means of a pin 72 or a pair of nuts and bolts (not shown) or the like. The second pair of ear members 68 include a lower arcuate camming surface 74 while the third pair of ear members have a similar arcuate camming surface 76 to allow each pair of ear members to be rotated about the pin 72 against the upper surface of the base member 60 between the positions shown in FIGURES 11 and 12. Stop members 78 are provided on the means 62 and engage with flattened stop surfaces 80 on the means 64 to fix the elements in their assembled position shown in FIGURE 11 so that the tinted window member 28 and the image depicting surface 30 are each extending in the correct direction for operation of the device. It will be noted that the second pair of ear members 68 include an upwardly extending slotted connecting portion 82 for receiving the tinted window member 28 and that the third pair of ear members 70 include an upwardly extending slotted connecting portion 84 for receiving the image depicting surface 30.

The locking means 24 for cooperation with the chuck means 16 of the drafting machine 12 have not been shown with this embodiment, but it is obvious that such means could be used if desired.

The embodiment of FIGURES 16-18 is substantially similar to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-10 except for the particular arrangement of the image depicting surface. In this embodiment a pair of laterally spaced upwardly extending arm members 86 rotatably support a pair of roller members 88 adjacent their upper and lower ends on pins or the like 90. A strip of web material 92 has each of its ends secured to, and wound upon, one of the roller members 88 and has on the surface facing the tinted window member 28 a plurality of lettering guide lines (not shown) of various sizes so that depending upon which specific portion of the strip 92 is disposed in facing relationship to the tinted window member 28, the draftsman can reflect a predetermined set of guide lines onto the drawing paper 20. A pair of guide rods 93 are secured by any conventional means 95 to the arm members 86 and the strip 92 passes over these guide rods 93 between the roller members 88. The guide rods 93 maintain the portion of the strip 92 in facing relationship to the tinted window member 28 a fixed distance therefrom regardless of the thickness of strip 92 on either of the roller members 88. A belt means 94 can be frictionally engaged with enlarged driving heads 96 integral with, or secured to, each of the pins 90 and a knurled wheel 98 can be provided for facilitating rotation of the rollers 88 by the finger 100 of the draftsman in an obvious manner to align a chosen portion of the strip 92 for reflection.

It is to be understood that although the lettering guide device of the instant invention has been specifically described with reference to association with a drafting machine, it may be readily used with a conventiontal T- square or parallel rule by placing the straight edge of either the long or short side of the base member 26 in sliding engagement with the edge of the T-square or rule.

It is now clear that there is herein provided a lettering guide device which satisfies all of the objects of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and since many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A lettering guide device adapted to be used in conjunction with a drafting machine having a chuck means, comprising a base member, a tinted window member and an image depicting surface, said image depicting surface including at least one surface having guide lines defined thereon, means for supporting said tinted window member in an upwardly extending direction at a selected first angle with respect to said base member, means for supporting said image depicting surface in an upwardly extending direction at a selected second angle with respect to said tinted window member, said first and second angles being substantially equal, said one surface of said image depicting surface being disposed in facing relationship to said tinted window member, said means for supporting said tinted window member and said means for supporting said image depicting surface being foldable with respect to each other and with respect to said base member between an assembled position wherein said tinted window member and said image depicting surface extend upwardly at said first and second selected angles, respectively, with respect to said base member and a collapsed position wherein said tinted window member and said image depicting surface extend in substantially parallel relationship with respect to said base member, said base member carrying a first part of vertically disposed laterally spaced apart, ear members, said means for supporting said tinted window member including a second pair of vertically disposed, laterally spaced apart, ear members having portions with laterally aligned slots defined therein, said tinted window member having a bottom portion slidingly receivable in said slots, said means for supporting said image depicting surface including a third pair of vertically disposed laterally spaced apart, ear members having portions with laterally aligned slots defined therein, said image depicting surface having a bottom portion slidingly receivable in said last mentioned slots, a pin passing through said first, second and third pairs of ear members and pivotally supporting said second and third pair of ear members with respect to said basev member, said second pair of ear members having projecting stop means thereon, said third pair of ear members having a first fiat surface engaged by said stop means to stop said tinted window member at its selected angular relationship with respect to said image depicting surface in the assembled position, and a second flat surface engaging said base member to stop said image depicting surface at its selected angular relationship with respect to said base member in the assembled position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 830,769 9/ 1906 Chandler 882.2 1,212,938 l/1917 Grubman 88-75 1,837,979 '12/193l Mensman 88-24 2,673,492 3/1954 Reswick 8874 2,911,879 11/1959 Giwosky 88 l4 FOREIGN PATENTS 173,849 10/1920 Great Britain.

457,176 5/1950 Italy.

JEWELL H. PEDERSEN, Primary Examiner. R. J. STERN, Assistant Examiner. 

